Sliding liquid level sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9316526-B2
Application number	US-201313797854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2013
Priority date	Mar 14, 2012
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed towards a sliding liquid level sensor which is mounted in a fuel tank of a vehicle for detecting a remaining amount of a liquid fuel in the tank. The liquid level sensor has a float, a plurality of electrodes, and a sliding contact point configured to slide on the electrodes in accordance with a displacement of the float. The electrodes preferably contain 100 parts by weight of a silver-palladium alloy and preferably 3-20 parts by weight of glass. The silver-palladium alloy preferably contains 20-60% by weight of silver and preferably 80-40% by weight of palladium. The sliding contact point is made from a palladium-nickel alloy that preferably contains 70-90% by weight of palladium and preferably 30-10% by weight of nickel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sliding liquid level sensor which is mounted in a fuel tank of a vehicle and detects a remaining amount of a liquid fuel in the tank, the sliding liquid level sensor comprising:
a float;
a plurality of electrodes containing 100 parts by weight of a silver-palladium alloy and 3-20 parts by weight of glass, wherein the silver-palladium alloy contains 20-45% by weight of silver and 80-55% by weight of palladium; and
a sliding contact point configured to slide over the electrodes in accordance with displacement of the float, wherein the sliding contact point is made from a palladium-nickel alloy that contains 70-90% by weight of palladium and 30-10% by weight of nickel.

2. The sliding liquid level sensor of claim 1 wherein the sliver-palladium alloy contains 20-30% by weight of silver and 80-70% by weight of palladium.

3. The sliding liquid level sensor of claim 1 wherein the palladium-nickel alloy contains 75-85% by weight of palladium and 25-15% by weight of nickel.

4. The sliding liquid level sensor of claim 1 wherein the plurality of electrodes are comprised of glass composed of either bismuth oxide based glass, silicon based glass or borosilicate glass.

Assignees

• Aisan Ind
• Hyundam Ind Co Ltd
• Hyundam Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Takagi Kunio
• Jang Jin Wook
• Kwak Hoon Pyo

Classifications

• G01F23/60 Primary

  using electrically actuated indicating means · CPC title

• G01F23/363 Primary

  using electromechanically actuated indicating means · CPC title

• H01C10/00

  Adjustable resistors · CPC title

• B60K15/00

  Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines {or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells}; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks · CPC title

• G01F23/36 Primary

  using electrically actuated indicating means {(G01F23/38 takes precedence)} · CPC title